Multidimensional data display program

ABSTRACT

A method for displaying multidimensional data on a screen of a display device, includes assigning a first dimension element, having been selected by a user from among the multidimensional data, to an axis; giving weights to a plurality of member regions using a function of number of data belonging to respective members of the first dimension element; defining the weighted member regions as a plurality of regions on the axis, which are partitioned for the respective members of the first dimension element; arranging the weighted member regions within the screen to form a table; and displaying, in each cell region corresponding to the weighted member region, data belonging to each cell region and belonging to a second dimension element having been selected by the user from among the multidimensional data. The second dimension element is different from the first dimension element.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromthe prior Japanese Patent Application No.2004-245358 filed on Aug. 25,2004; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to multidimensional data display apparatus, amethod for displaying a multidimensional data and a multidimensionaldata display program, suitable for analyzing multidimensional data.

2. Description of the Related Art

It is desired that more dimensions can be confirmed visually at one timein analysis for discovering segments regarded as promising frommultidimensional data, for example, in customer's market analysis formarketing. A three-dimensional display method in which dimensional dataof two dimensions are selected as axes from multidimensional data, andnumber of data is displayed in each cell region formed by the axesdisposed orthogonally has been known as a display method capable oflisting multidimensional data. Display methods capable of listing moredimensions have been also proposed. One of the display methods is amethod in which dimensional data of another dimension is further used asan axis, and XY table representations sliced by members belonging tothis axis are arranged to increase the dimensions by one artificially.Another one of the display methods is a method in which each cell regionof an XY table is colored in accordance with number of data belongingthereto so that a result of analysis of dimensional data of anotherdimension is expressed in the cell region. Further, there has been alsoknown a display method like a three-dimensional scatter diagram in whichdata are expressed by dots in an XYZ space where three dimensionsselected from multidimensional data are disposed orthogonally withrespect to one another (for example, see JP 2000-293281 A). In addition,there has been also proposed a display method for supporting a dataanalysis work with two kinds of manners of hypothesis finding andhypothesis testing linked complementarily in data analysis formultidimensional data (for example, see JP 2001-273315 A).

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, in a numeric value display method according to theaforementioned prior art for representing the number of data in each ofcell regions based on member regions displayed at even intervals or adiagram display method according to the aforementioned prior art, usinga scatter diagram or the like, numeric values or diagrams shown in thecell regions have to be confirmed individually to compare the number ofdata in-one cell region with that in another. Accordingly, it isdifficult to see the number of data in each cell region instantaneously.Thus, there arises a problem that the comparison of the number of datais not easy.

The invention provides a multidimensional data display apparatus, amethod for displaying multidimensional data and a multidimensional datadisplay program, in which the number of high-dimensional data isvisualized so that the features of the number of data in each cellregion can be grasped easily.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for displayingmultidimensional data on a screen of a display device, includesassigning a first dimension element, having been selected by a user fromamong the multidimensional data, to an axis; giving weights to aplurality of member regions using a function of number of data belongingto respective members of the first dimension element; defining theweighted member regions as a plurality of regions on the axis, which arepartitioned for the respective members of the first dimension element;arranging the weighted member regions within the screen to form a table;and displaying, in each cell region corresponding to the weighted memberregion, data belonging to each cell region and belonging to a seconddimension element having been selected by the user from among themultidimensional data. The second dimension element is different fromthe first dimension element.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a multidimensional datadisplay apparatus is connected to a database storing multidimensionaldata. The apparatus includes an input device, a display device, aselecting unit, an assigning unit, a weighting unit, a setting unit, anarranging unit, and a cell region displaying unit. A user inputs aninstruction through the input device. The selecting unit selects a firstdimension element and a second dimension element from themultidimensional data. The first dimension element is different from thesecond dimension element. The assigning selection assigns the firstdimension element to an axis. The weighting unit gives weights to aplurality of member regions using a function of number of data belongingto respective members of the first dimension element. The setting unitsets the weighted member regions as a plurality of regions on the axis,which are partitioned for the respective members of the first dimensionelement. The arranging unit arranges the weighted member regions withinthe screen to form a table. The cell region displaying unit displays, ineach cell region corresponding to the weighted member region, databelonging to each cell region and belonging to the second dimensionelement.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a multidimensional datadisplay program causes a computer controlling a display device toexecute a process. The process includes assigning a first dimensionelement, having been selected by a user from among the multidimensionaldata, to an axis; giving weights to a plurality of member regions usinga function of number of data belonging to respective members of thefirst dimension element; defining the weighted member regions as aplurality of regions on the axis, which are partitioned for therespective members of the first dimension element; arranging theweighted member regions within the screen to form a table; anddisplaying, in each cell region corresponding to the weighted memberregion, data belonging to each cell region and belonging to a seconddimension element having been selected by the user from among themultidimensional data. The second dimension element is different fromthe first dimension element.

According to the invention, it is possible to provide a multidimensionaldata display apparatus, a method for displaying multidimensional dataand a multidimensional data display program, in which number ofhigh-dimensional data is visualized so that features of the number ofdata in each cell region can be grasped easily.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a typical example of representation in amethod for displaying multidimensional data according to an embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of a method for displayingmultidimensional data according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is an illustration showing a data access method and a probabilitycube structure using probability cubes in a method for displayingmultidimensional data according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of representation of referenceinformation in a method for displaying multidimensional data accordingto an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of representation of referenceinformation in a method for displaying multidimensional data accordingto an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of data making use of a methodfor displaying multidimensional data according to an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 7 showing a diagram showing another case of graph representation ofcell regions in a method for displaying multidimensional data accordingto an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of hardware when a method fordisplaying multidimensional data according to an embodiment of theinvention is implemented by a computer.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of representation in amethod for displaying multidimensional data according to an embodimentof the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference tothe drawings. Incidentally, in each drawing, parts the same as those inanother drawing are denoted by the same reference numeralscorrespondingly, and redundant description will be omitted.

First, description will be given on an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a view showing an example of representation in a method fordisplaying a multidimensional data according to the embodiment of theinvention. First, what things correspond to axial elements, members, thenumber of data belonging to each member, and cell regions, will bedescribed with questionnaires by way of example. These questionnaireswere sent out to 1,500 males and 1,500 females, for example, whose agesrange from teens to sixties, so as to survey them as to whether theywish to purchase personal computers or not. First, axial elements can beregarded as dimensions. “Questions in the questionnaire” (e.g., “what isyour age?”, or “which is your gender?”) can be regarded as data servingas axial elements (age and gender), “answer items” can be regarded asmembers of each axial element (teens, twenties, etc.), and “the numberof persons answering to an answer item” can be regarded as “the numberof data belonging to a member”. In a combination of two-dimensionalaxes, each “cell region” can be regarded as a “combination of twomembers belonging to different axial elements” such as a combination ofmales in gender and teens in age.

In FIG. 1, three axes of an X-axis (age), a Y axis (gender) and apattern axis (makers from which persons want to purchase personalcomputers) are selected from multidimensional data, while X axis membersand Y-axis members are arranged orthogonally for table representation.Incidentally, here, the representation of the third dimension is namedas a pattern axis because the third dimension is expressed by pattern.The third pattern may be expressed by color. In that case, therepresentation of the third dimension is named as a color axis. In eachcell region corresponding to a combination of the respective members,the number of data classified by the combination of correspondingmembers of the three axes is graphed by pie chart. In addition, graphrepresentation of pattern-axis members in the multidimensional data as awhole is disposed on the left top of the table representation. In FIG.1, data about makers from which persons want to purchase personalcomputers are displayed by pie chart.

The total number of data belonging to display members (members to bedisplayed actually) is calculated for each axis. $\begin{matrix}{{{weight}\quad{to}\quad{be}\quad{assigned}\quad{to}\quad{each}\quad{display}\quad{member}} = \left( \frac{{number}\quad{of}\quad{pieces}\quad{of}\quad{data}\quad{belonging}\quad{to}\quad{each}\quad{member}}{\begin{matrix}{{{total}\quad{number}\quad{of}\quad{pieces}\quad{of}\quad{data}}\quad} \\{{belonging}\quad{to}\quad{display}\quad{members}}\end{matrix}} \right)} & (1)\end{matrix}$The weight to be assigned to each display member is calculated using theexpression (1). The size of each member region is calculated on theassumption that the total number of data belonging to the displaymembers corresponds to the total size of the screen. Thus, each memberregion is displayed on the screen. An expression for obtaining theweight of each display member is not limited to the expression (1), butit may be expression 2 by way of example. $\begin{matrix}{{{weight}\quad{to}\quad{be}\quad{assigned}\quad{to}\quad{each}\quad{display}\quad{member}} = {\log_{10}\left( \frac{{number}\quad{of}\quad{pieces}\quad{of}\quad{data}\quad{belonging}\quad{to}\quad{each}\quad{member}}{\begin{matrix}{{{total}\quad{number}\quad{of}\quad{pieces}\quad{of}\quad{data}}\quad} \\{{belonging}\quad{to}\quad{display}\quad{members}}\end{matrix}} \right)}} & (2)\end{matrix}$

If the screen is divided evenly in accordance with the number of displaymembers and displayed, numeric values in cell regions have to beconfirmed in detail for analyzing data. However, according to thedisplay method of this embodiment, the numeric values can be graspedintuitively at a glance from the areas of the cell regions.

That is, in FIG. 1, one and the same length (width) in Y direction isassigned to males and females as members of gender because each of thenumbers of males and females is 1,500. As for the members of ageincluding teens, twenties, thirties, forties, fifties and sixties, itcan be grasped at a glance that the number of teens is the smallest, andthe number of sixties is the second smallest, while the number offifties is the largest. In this manner, each cell region divided inaccordance with a combination of member regions expresses a set of datasatisfying two conditions of an X-axis member (e.g. twenties) and aY-axis member (e.g. males).

Further, for example, a pie chart arranged in each cell region is a piechart composed of data of persons corresponding to males in theirtwenties having “makers from which persons want to purchase personalcomputers” as the pattern axis.

Incidentally, the display method is influenced by the point of view fromwhich the multidimensional data are analyzed. Accordingly, there may bea difference in meaning and total between a total of each cell, which isa combination of the X-axis and the Y-axis, and a total of each grapharranged in each cell region. *For example, males in their twentiesinclude (a) males in their twenties who want to purchase personalcomputers and (b) males in their twenties who do not want to purchasepersonal computers. On the other hand, a pie charge arranged in males intheir twenties only includes males in their twenties who want topurchase personal computers. Accordingly, total number of data expressedby area of each cell region and total number of data included in a piechart arranged in each cell region may be different from each other.

A graph (pie chart in the example of FIG. 1) arranged in each cellregion can represent the number of data of each pattern-axis member orthe ratio of data of each pattern-axis member with respect to databelonging to a cell having a two-axis combination of an X-axis memberand a Y-axis member. Area of the graph represents, of the total numberof data belonging to a cell region, the total number of data to bedisplayed by the pattern axis (the total number of data of displaymembers of the pattern axis).

Accordingly, in order to visualize a difference in the number of data,when the relation (total number of data belonging to each cellregion≧total number of data of display members of pattern axis) isestablished in the ratio of the total number of data belonging to atwo-axis combination of an X-axis member and a Y-axis member to thetotal number of data of members to be displayed by the pattern axis, thearea of the graph to be displayed in the cell region can be displayedvariably in accordance with this ratio.

In this manner, for example, in customer segment analysis for marketing,the level of consciousness in each cell region (referred to as “segment”in the field of marketing) can be grasped visually. That is, in FIG. 1,it can be grasped easily that the right bottom segment of females intheir sixties has a segment size as large as the segment of males intheir sixties displayed above the segment of females in their sixties,but has a lower level of consciousness as to purchase of personalcomputers than the segment of males in their sixties.

When the number of corresponding data, for example, the number of datain the consciousness of females in their sixties as to purchase ofpersonal computers is extremely small, the pie chart arranged in thecell region becomes too small to be recognized visually. In such a case,the minimum size to display each pie chart may be defined in advance inorder to make the pie chart easy to recognize visually.

Further, a test as to whether or not features of pattern-axis memberscan be expressed by cell regions can be performed by means of statistictesting on the graph display frame of each pattern-axis member in thegraph of the whole multidimensional data displayed on the left top ofthe table representation. For example, preferable as the test is an χ²test to be used for comparison in frequency or ratio among two or moregroups. In this case, when one member is dominant in a five-percenttest, it is, for example, expressed by a blue thin graph display frame.When one member is dominant in a one-percent test, it is, for example,expressed by a red thick graph display frame. When a difference indominance is expressed by a variation of frame thickness or displaycolor in such a manner, visual appeal is enhanced so that it can bedetermined viscerally whether or not the combination of selected axes isstatistically dominant.

In FIG. 1, three axes of X axis (age), Y axis (gender), and pattern axis(maker from which persons want to purchase personal computers) areselected from multidimensional data. However, two axes may be selectedfrom multidimensional data. For example, X axis (age) and pattern axis.(maker from which persons want to purchase personal computers) may beselected from multidimensional data as shown in FIG. 9. In this case,the number of data belonging to each member determines width of eachcell region in X direction, and lengths of the cell regions in Ydirection are uniform. In other words, the number of data belonging toeach member determines area of each cell region.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of the method for displayingmultidimensional data according to an embodiment of the invention. InFIG. 2, first, as initial setting, the “whole”, which is an axialelement expressing the whole of multidimensional data, is assigned todisplayable axes (Step S1). Here, the displayable axes are an X axis, aY axis and a pattern axis in FIG. 1 by way of example. The X axisdesignates age and the Y axis designates gender. The pattern axis isexpressed, for example, by white as a background color of a pie chart.Next, desired data serving as axis elements are selected from subjectmultidimensional data (Step S2). For example, in FIG. 1, data of age areselected for the X axis, data of gender are selected for the Y axis, anddata of makers from which persons want to purchase personal computersare selected for the pattern axis. Next, a summary table (probabilitycubes) of a database is generated to be able to achieve fast access tothe data selected in Step S2 (Step S3).

Next, the axis element data selected in Step S2 are assigned to thedisplayable axes (Step S4). From members assigned to each axis element,members to be displayed actually (display members) are selected (StepS5). For example, in FIG. 1, all the ages of teens, twenties, thirties,forties, fifties and sixties are selected from “age” as members of the Xaxis. Males and Females of “gender” are selected as members of the Yaxis. Incidentally, the order of Step S4 and Step 5 may be reversed.

Next, the total number of data belonging to the display members iscalculated for each axis, and weights to be assigned to the displaymembers are calculated, for example, by a function provided by theexpression (1) or (2) (Step S6). The function provided by the expression(1) has an effect on the case where a user desires to disregard segmentshaving a small market size in analysis of market segments. The functionprovided by the logarithmic function of the expression (2) can classifymembers into respective sizes in order-of-magnitude unit. Thus, thefunction provided by the logarithmic function of the expression (2) hasan effect on visual grasp of the size of each member when a differencein the number of data among the members is large and it is not desiredto make each cell region too small.

Next, in Step S7, a statistical test (e.g. χ² test) is performed as towhether or not features of pattern-axis members can be expressed by eachcell consisting of cell region data of members provided by the X-axisand Y-axis.

Next, the X-axis and the Y-axis are arranged orthogonally, and eachregion on the screen is calculated in accordance with the weights ofmembers of each axis, so as to display each member region (Step S8).

Next, in Step S9, for example, a bar chart or a pie chart is displayedas numeric values or a graph displayable for each pattern in each cellregion, which is a combination of respective members, and a routine ofprocessing is ready for an input from the operator (Step S10).

When a desired cell region is selected (Step S11), reference data aredisplayed, for example, on a monitor (Step S12), and the routine ofprocessing returns to Step S10. For example, the reference data includean enlarged representation of the pie chart, or a representation of adifference between a ratio of each pattern-axis member to the entiresubject multidimensional data and a ratio of the pattern-axis member tothe selected cell region.

On the other hand, when the display members are to be changed in StepS10, the routine of processing returns to Step S5 (Step S13). When theassignment of the axes is to be changed, the routine of processingreturns to Step S4 (Step S14). When the selected data are to be changed,the routine of processing returns to Step S2 (Step S15).

On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) is a technique for retrieving datafrom a database in accordance with interactive operation of an operator,aggregating the data on the basis of various points of view, anddisplaying the results of the aggregation. In the OLAP, graphrepresentation etc. as well as cross tabulation are used asrepresentation of data. According to the OLAP, features of data can betested from various points of view in accordance with user's operation.The OLAP belongs to a method called a “hypothesis testing type”.

Here, when the aforementioned flow is associated with operations of theOLAP, a slice operation and a drill operation of the OLAP are includedin the changing of display members in Step S13. On the other hand, adice operation of the OLAP is included in the changing of assignment ofaxes and the changing of selected data in Step S14 and Step S15.

Next, a data access method and an example of a summary table datastructure in the method for displaying multidimensional data accordingto an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference toFIG. 3. In FIG. 3, a data processing section 31 is connected to avisualization section 32 including an interface, and further connectedto a database 33. When an operator operates the visualization section 32so as to give an instruction to the data processing section 31, the dataprocessing section 31 accesses to a desired data region of the database33 so as to fetch data and execute a multidimensional data generatingprocess.

Assume that multidimensional data (probability cubes) 34 are generatedat the database in Step S3 of FIG. 2. In this case, when a desiredprobability cube has already existed, this existing probability cube isused. However, when the desired probability cube is absent, the desiredprobability cube is generated from the database by the data processingsection 31, and recorded into a recording medium. In this event, theprobability cube may be generated in either an M-OLAP (Multi-dimensionalOn-line Analytical Processing) format or an R-OLAP (Relational On-lineAnalytical Processing) format. Incidentally, the M-OALP format is aformat in which summary information generated from accumulated data isstored in a multidimensional database on the sever side, and data arecut out and sent in accordance with a process request from a client. Onthe other hand, the R-OLAP format is a format in which data stored in arelational database on the server side are retrieved and aggregateddirectly, and a result thereof is arranged and visualized asmultidimensional data on the client side.

One probability cube has cube basic information and probabilityinformation. The cube basic information holds primitive data forming thecube, such as identifiers indicating axis data, identifiers indicatingaxis members, the number of data belonging to each axis member, etc. Theprobability information has a “probability cube table” and a“probability cube reference table”. The probability cube table storescombinations the number of which is equal to the number of dimensions ofaxes assigned to the probability cube. The probability cube referencetable stores references to other probability cubes, which are lower inthe number of dimensions.

In the case of the example shown in FIG. 3, assume that the number ofdimensions is three (age=teens, gender=males, and maker from whichpersons want to purchase personal computers=company A). Then, in theprobability cube table, each record holds information of a characterstring obtained from an expression where all the members of the threedimensions appear in a conditional probability expression, and aconditional probability value corresponding to the expression. Theprobability cube table holds all the records of possible combinations.In this example, the probability cube table is constituted by thefollowing seven patterns.

-   P(maker from which persons want to purchase PCs=company A,    age=teens, gender=males|)-   P(maker from which persons want to purchase PCs=company A|age=teens,    gender=males)-   P(age=teens|maker from which persons want to purchase PCs=company A,    gender=males).-   P(gender=males|age=teens, maker from which persons want to purchase    PCs=company A)-   P(age=teens, gender=males|maker from which persons want to purchase    PCs.=company A)-   P(maker from which persons want to purchase PCs=company A,    gender=males|age=teens)-   P(age=teens, maker from which persons want to purchase PCs=company    A|gender=males)

P(X|Y) designates a probability of occurrence of the condition Xassuming that the condition Y has occurred. The mark “,” designatesconcurrent occurrence. That is, P(X|Y,Z) designates a probability ofoccurrence of the condition X when both the conditions Y and Z arefulfilled. A null character string on the right side of the mark “|” asin P (X|) designates “no condition (whole)”.

On the other hand, the probability cube reference table has referencesto probability cubes composed of combinations of two dimensions or onedimension. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the following six patternsare present.

age=teens

gender=males

maker from which persons want to purchase PCs=company A

age=teens, gender males

age=teens, maker from which persons want to purchase PCs=company A

gender=males, maker from which persons want to purchase PCs=company A

Using cubes holding such probability information provides not onlyspeeding up access in the R-OLAP format, but visualizing a predictionresult, for example, based on a Bayesian belief network model suitablefor predicting next consumption behavior of consumers from immediatelypreceding consumption behavior of the consumers.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of information representation(reference information representation) for comparing data in cellregions with reference data to be compared with the data in the methodfor displaying multidimensional data according to an embodiment of theinvention. This reference representation may be displayed so as to besuperimposed on a display screen for displaying the table representationor cell region representation, or may be displayed on another displaydevice. In the example of FIG. 4, a cell of twenties-females has beenselected. As the reference information representation, a ratio which canbe represented by (total number of data belonging to the selected cellregion/total number of data of the subject multidimensional data) and aratio which can be represented by (total number of data of pattern axismembers in the selected cell region/total number of data belonging tothe selected cell region) are displayed as a pie chart and a bar chartin a left portion of the reference information representation,respectively. On the other hand, a difference between a ratio of eachpattern axis member to the entire subject multidimensional data and aratio of each pattern axis member to the selected cell is displayed in aright portion of the reference information representation.

In addition, in the difference representation, a drill operation, aslice operation and a dice operation can be performed in the same manneras those in multidimensional data analysis (OLAP). Thus, a point of viewof the multidimensional data can be changed in accordance with a requestfrom a user who performs data analysis.

Incidentally, this embodiment deals with difference information betweendata in the selected cell region and whole data of the subjectmultidimensional data. However, as information to be displayed, each ora combination of comparison information of the data in the selected cellregion with data associated with the data in the selected cell region,such as comparison information of the data in the selected cell regionwith data in the same cell region surveyed in the past, comparisoninformation the data in the selected cell region with data in cellregions, which are not selected, are displayed.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of basic information and enlargedrepresentation of a cell region added to information representation forcomparing data in a cell region with reference data to be compared withthose data in the method for displaying multidimensional data accordingto an embodiment of the invention. In the example of FIG. 5, the cellbasic information is displayed on the top. In this example, the numberof data belonging to the member “X axis: twenties” is 563; the number ofdata belonging to the member “Y axis: females” is 1,500; the number ofdata belonging to the cell “selected cell: twenties-females” is 278, andthe total number of data belonging to display members in the member“pattern axis: maker from which persons want to purchase personalcomputers” in the cell is 112. A ratio which can be represented by(total number of data belonging to the selected cell region/total numberof data of the subject multidimensional data) and a ratio which can berepresented by (total number of data of pattern axis members in theselected cell/total number of data belonging to the selected cellregion) are displayed as a pie chart and a bar chart in a left bottomportion of the reference information representation, respectively.

On the other hand, an enlarged chart of the selected cell, and adifference chart are displayed in the center bottom of the referencerepresentation and in the right bottom of the reference representation,respectively. In the difference chart, a difference between a ratio ofthe respective patter-axis members in the entire subjectmultidimensional data and a ratio of the respective pattern-axis membersin the selected cell region is shown.

In the representation of the difference chart, features of the selectedcell are brought into bold relief by comparison with other data. Forexample, when the cell of twenties-females is specified, it can beconfirmed that the share of a company G in the right end of thedifference chart has increased by a little lower than 4%.

In addition, in the enlarged representation and the differencerepresentation, a drill operation, a slice operation and a diceoperation can be performed in the same manner as those inmultidimensional data analysis (OLAP). Thus, a point of view of themultidimensional data can be changed in accordance with a request from auser who performs data analysis.

In the same manner as in FIG. 4, this embodiment deals with differenceinformation between data in the selected cell region and whole data ofthe subject multidimensional data. However, as information to bedisplayed, each or a combination of comparison information of the datain the selected cell region with data associated with the data in theselected cell region, such as comparison information of the data in theselected cell region with data in the same cell region surveyed in thepast, comparison information the data in the selected cell region withdata in cell regions, which are not selected, are displayed.

The method for displaying multidimensional data according to theembodiments of the invention is not limited to the examples describedabove. The method for displaying multidimensional data can be combinedwith another representation form. FIGS. 6 and 7 show cases in whichgraphs other than pie chars are displayed in the cell regions. FIG. 6shows an example of representation in which radar chart representationand table representation are combined. From FIG. 6, analysis from thepoint of view of motivation of purchase of personal computers can begrasped at a glance. That is, it is understood that the price is theultimate factor of the motives of purchase of personal computersregardless of their makers. On the other hand, as to durability, it isunderstood that there is a significant difference in weight among themakers. FIG. 7 shows an example where bar charts are displayed in cellregions. From FIG. 7, it can be analyzed that personal computers made bythe company A gain support as personal computers that persons want topurchase, regardless of gender and generation.

Multidimensional data display apparatus according to the embodiments ofthe invention can be implemented, for example, on a general computershown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of hardware when themultidimensional data display apparatus according to one embodiment ofthe invention is implemented by a computer.

This computer has a central processing unit 701 for executing programs,a memory 702 for storing programs or data being processed by theprograms, a magnetic disk drive 703 for storing programs, data to beretrieved and an OS (Operating System), and an optical disk drive 704for reading/writing programs or data from/into an optical disk.

Further, the computer has an image output section 705 serving as aninterface for displaying a screen on a display or the like, an inputreception section 706 for receiving an input from a keyboard, a mouse, atouch panel, etc., and an output/input section 707 serving as anoutput/input interface (e.g. USB (Universal Serial Bus) with an externaldevice, and a voice output terminal etc.). In addition, the computer hasa display unit 708 such as an LCD, a CRT, a projector, etc., an inputdevice 709 such as a keyboard, mouse, etc., and an external device 710such as a memory card reader and a speaker. The external device 710 maybe not equipment but a network.

The central processing unit 701 reads a program from the magnetic diskdrive 703 or the optical disk drive 704, and stores the program into thememory 702. After that, the central processing unit 701 executes theprogram so as to obtain the respective functions shown in FIG. 1. Duringexecution of the program, a part or all of data to be retrieved may beread from the magnetic disk drive 703 and stored into the memory 702.

As the basic operation, a retrieval request from the user is receivedthrough the input device 709, and to-be-retrieved data stored in themagnetic disk drive 703 or the memory 702 are retrieved in accordancethe retrieval request. Then, the result of the retrieval is displayed onthe display unit 708.

The result of the retrieval may be not only displayed on the displayunit 708 but also presented to the user by voice, for example, through aspeaker connected as the external device 710. Alternatively, the resultof the retrieval may be presented as a print through a printer connectedas the external device 710.

Incidentally, the invention is not limited to the aforementionedembodiments directly. The invention can be implemented by constituentcomponents modified without departing from the gist of the invention inthe execution phase thereof. In addition, various inventions can beformed by desired combinations of a plurality of constituent partsdisclosed in the aforementioned embodiments. For example, someconstituent parts may be deleted from the whole constituent parts shownin the embodiments. Further, constituent parts in different embodimentsmay be combined suitably.

1-13. (canceled)
 14. A computer-readable medium encoded with amultidimensional data display program causing a computer controlling adisplay device to execute a process comprising: assigning a firstdimension element, having been selected by a user from among themultidimensional data, to an axis; giving weights to a plurality ofmember regions using a function expressed by${f\left( \frac{n}{N} \right)},$ where n represents number of databelonging to each member of the first dimension element and N representsnumber of data belonging to the first dimension element; defining theweighted member regions as a plurality of regions on the axis, which arepartitioned for the respective members of the first dimension element;arranging the weighted member regions within the screen to form a table;and displaying, in each cell region corresponding to the weighted memberregion, data belonging to each cell region and belonging to a seconddimension element having been selected by the user from among themultidimensional data, the second dimension element being different fromthe first dimension element.
 15. The program according to claim 14, theprocess further comprising: displaying information on the display, theinformation indicating a result of comparing data belonging to a cellregion having been selected by the user, with reference data.